I'd like to start with an apology - to many, many people, whether they read my blog or not, but mostly to myself. Over this last year, I have not updated this blog even once. I have attended very few demonstrations. I've participated in political discussions on the Internet and increased my knowledge of things, but I think that's only the bare minimum we can do at the moment.
One of the hardest things about being a leftie activist is, as many of us will tell you, the constant draining of energy. Particularly in the current climate, it seems there is so much going on at any particular time that it's hard to know where to start in dealing with the problem. What should we deal with first - curbs on protest, the incompetent leader of the opposition or our own personal gripes? What if I don't have time to properly do my research? How will I have time with everything else going on in my life? And - the constant one - does it really make much difference what I write about?
These are the questions that are constantly swirling around in my brain. I've always been one to distract myself anyway, and particularly at the moment sometimes it's difficult to bring yourself to a point where you can focus on something tangible and positive. Then, if it goes a certain amount of time without doing anything, you feel guilty about that and that can cripple you from doing anything further.
It's super-important at the moment that we don't give in to these feelings, because I think since I started this blog in 2010 there has been more going on in the world that has needed my attention in 2021 than ever before. So, from a burnout veteran, here's a handy five-point guide to avoid it:
1. Force yourself to do something each day
It doesn't matter if it's not exactly what you wanted to do - talk to a stranger, write a blog even if it's not a very good one, write to your MP, read an informative piece of work or a political allegory... actually I think the most productive things that have happened to me over this last year have been Zoom chats with friends who have given me ideas and inspiration. Actually, as much as doing something productive can feel like a chore, once you're doing it it's actually quite cleansing to the soul and helps you feel in top of things, so it's worth finding something worthwhile with which to occupy your time.
2. Be kind to yourself
My problem is that I take some time out, feel guilty about it, don't deal with those guilty feelings, feel more guilty, time passes, things spiral and I still haven't achieved what I was going to. That's fine. If you don't feel up to being as active as normal, it's fine to allow yourself some chill-out time... as long as that chill-out time is used productively. There's a difference between chilling out in a way that's actually going to get your brain together, and chill-out time that's decadent and destructive. Different activities work for different people, so do what works for you. If you've messed up, don't waste valuable time blaming yourself, just crack on with whatever will help.
3. Remember that it doesn't matter whether people know you're doing something
This is an important one. I'm all for telling everyone what you're doing and bringing people on board - but at the same time, it's not about showing off. If your time is spent helping one single person with something they're struggling with, you're contributing to society. You know what your limit is, no one else does. This is why in large part my apology is actually to myself, because my duty is to myself first. I can't help others unless I myself am able to mentally function, and mental function involves using the noggin.
4. Have go-to sources of information
Sometimes it can be really hard to do in-depth research on something important. But as long as you've got a couple of blogs that you regularly come back to (ones that are updated a bit more than mine, hehe) you'll at least be kept up-to-date about some things. If you're on social media, make sure you comment on things that interest you, and then the algorithms will keep showing you things from that same source. That said, try to make your sources of information a little varied so as not to be fed too much of an echo chamber, and always remember to fact-check.
5. Remember to accept what you cannot change, and change what you cannot accept
This is obviously not my own line, but I've never come across anything more accurate in the world of social change. You are ultimately only one person with a limited amount of power - but having said that, it's odds on that that power is limited at a much higher point than you give yourself credit for.
This is not the most complicated blog I've ever written, but it is an honest one. 2021 was quite a tough year for those of us who are trying to change the world positively, so let's make 2022 an improvement!
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